Automatic hot-water heater



Nov. 2 v1926- 1,604,980

M. D. DOMINGUEZ AUTOMATIC HOT WATER HEATER original Filed April 29, 1924 5 sheets-sheet 1 Nov. 2 a 1926- l 1,604,980

M. D. DOMINGUEZ AUTOMATIC HOT WATER HEATER Original Filed April 29, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 attozmmb NOV. 2

M. D. DOMlNGUEZ AUTOMTYIC HOT WATER HEATER v Original Filed April 29, 1924 5`Sheets-Sheet 3 5 vl 1J emiro z Malade/. mz'fzlyzlez @Hornung Nov. 2 1926 1,604,980

M. D. DOMINGUEZ AUTOMATIC HOT WATER HEATER I Original Filed April 29, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 n 1-giga ez" e vii ` el e f d I l Vule r e 40E Nov. 2 y 1926 1,604,980

M. D. DOMINGUEZ AUTOMATIC HOT WATER HEATER Original Filed April 29, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 @um WJ Patented Nov. 2, 1926.

UNITED STATES 1,6n4,9`so PATENT OFFICE.

MANUEL n. EoMLNGnEz, oE NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, AssIGfNoE 'ro CHARLES A. DENIS AND GEORGE SAEPY, BOTH E NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

UTOMATXG HOT-WATER HEATER.

Application filed April 29, 1924, Serial No. 709,902. A Renewed April 6, 1926.`

The invention relates to automatic hot water heaters, and has as an object the provision of a hot water heating tank with eiiicient heat insulation. A further object of i the invention is the provision of an autoinatic hot water tank with a heating unit in the center of the bottom thereof, whereby to have its effect upon the coldest portion of the water.

A further object of the invention is the provision of hot water heater having a plurality ci heats, and means to control the action of the heating means.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a pressure operated switch with thermostatic means to control the same.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a heating unit for hot water heaters having means to drain water of condensation therefrom.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, showing illustrative embodiments ofthe invention and wherein- Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a hot water tank with a heater in place.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on line 2, 2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a central vertical section of the heating unit. f

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of circuits. Fi 5is a horizontal section on line 5, 5 of Fig. 3. .l

Fig. 6 is a like section on line 6, 6 of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a detail vertical side view of a portion of the heater. .l i' Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the modified form of heater with a modified form of the 40 pressure operated automatic switch.

- AFig. 9 is a detail section on line'9, 9 of Fig. 8 upon an enlarged scale.

line 10, 10

'Fig. 10 is a vertical section on of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a detail 'side-elevation, partly broken away, of the form of thermostatic element shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. l2 is a det-ail section on line 12,- 12 of Fig. 11, drawn upon an enlarged scale.

As shown in Figs.l 1 to 7 inclusive, and Figs. 11 and 12, the device comprises a hot water tank 15 formed of a cylinder having concave end closures 16, 17, secured within the same as by means of riveting or electric welding. lTo conduct hot water from the tank an outlet pipe 18 is indicated as communicating with the central portion of the upper end of the tank.

To heat insulate the tank, there is shown a space 19 which may be lled with suitable heat insulating material, as wool or cork, and

enclosed by a cylindrical casing 20. To support the casing 20. at the lower end an enlarged ange 21 is shown provided with a downwardly extending ring 22 shown as riveted to an extension of the walls of the filled with heat insulating material in theV Same manner as the annular space 19. To close the space 29, there is shown a disk 30 having downwardly turned /flange 31 about its edge, which is secured within the lower end of the cylinder 15. v

V An inlet for cold water supply to the tank is shown inthe form of a pipe 32 communieating Iwith the cylinder 15 adjacent to the bottom thereof. The entire device is shown as supportedv upon a stand 33.

To heat the water within the tank an electric heater is shown comprising a 'casing l34 preferably of a metal such as copper,

which is a ready conductonof heat, and which casing` projects through an opening the tank, and is secured thereto by means loi? a flange 35, secured tothe casing 34, and to lthe bottom 17, as by rivets 36.- The casing is shown as projectingthrough an opening 37 in the closure 30. To conduct current to the heater, lead in wires 38, 39 are shown, the latter passing to a thermostatically, operated switch 40, to which current isconducted as by means of a wire 41.

yin the central portion of the bottom 17 'ot nuts 44,45. Mounted upon the rod 43, there are shown end disks of insulating material, 46, 47, and intermediate or spacing disks 48, the latter shown as supported uponsaid ment of the openings in the disk through 'which the resistance coils 51 extend, wheref by to keep the coils in spaced relation. Upon the opposite sidel of each of the disks 48 there is shown a pin 52 to prevent the disks separatingjfrom the pins 49.

The heating elements 51 are shown as being connected with switch points 53, 54, 55, byl means of connecting rods 56, and connecting strips 66, 67 land 68. The switch points 53 to 55 inclusive are shown as mounted upon a block of insulating material 57 'which is supported in spaced relation from they block 42, as by means of screw threaded membersl 58, providedwith lock nuts 59, 60. Also mounted upon a'rod 61 extending between kblocks 42 and 57, vthere is shown a switch lever 63 pressed by means of a spring 64 againstfa nut 65 pinned to the rod 61, the

spring being provided to ensure good electrical contact at all times. A The lead in wire 39 is shown as connected to the switch lever directly connected to any of the switch points. The switch point 55 and a blank switch point 69 are each shown as provided withstop members 70 to limit the throw of the switch lever 63. The switch lever is shown as provided with an insulating handle 71 projecting to the exterior of the cap 72,

which is mounted upon the block 42 by /means ofv screws 72.

An insulating bushing 73 is preferably provided about the opening in the cap 72 through which the lead in wires 38 and 39 extend. A scale 74 may be provided upon the exterior ofthe casing 72, as shown in 7, to indicate the different heats to shown mounted upon the flange which the switch may be turned. The flange of the cap 72 for the reception of .screw 72 is shown as provided with recessesI 75 to surround the screws 76. by means of which the casing 34 is secured to the block 42, so that the cap may be removed without disturbing the last named screws.

`When the heater is out of operation cold water in the tank may cause condensation ot fwater upon the interior of the casing 34. To provlde for removal by drainage of such water of condensation an annular late 77 is 8 of the casing 34 and the block 42, which plate bears an 11p-standing collar 79 in spaced relation to the wall of the casing 34 to provide an annular channel. At the bottom of the cas- Imeans of a flexible diaphragm 108. edges of the diaphragm are shown asl ing a conduit 80 is provided extending through the wall of the casing 34 and,4 in communication with-a drain pipe 81.

As shown in Fig. 4, the circuits for the heater are as follows: from the source of energy 82 through wire 38 to wire 83, section 84 of the heating element, wire 85, strip 68, switch point 53, switch arm 63, wire 39 to the pressure-operated switch 40, wire 41 tolthe source of energy, for the first heat. For the next higher heat, the circuit would include wire A85, wire 86, heating element section 87, wire 88, strip 67, contact point 54 and switch lever 63, as in first heat. For the third heat, the circuit would include wire 88, wire 89, heating element section 90, wire 91, conducting strip 66, contact point to the switch lever 63.

As shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the water to be heated is present in a' coil contained in a casing 100, which may be of the nature disclosedin my co-pending application 67 6,413, filedy November 22, 1923. The casing is shown as having an outlet pipe 101 for heat- ,form of spherical shell 104' (see Fig. 10),

about which the waterpassing to the heater Hows.

The casing 103 Yis shown as formed with a semi-spherical projection 105 to provide a passage for the water aboutl the shell 104. The shell which may contain a substance whose volume is readily effected by changes in heat, such as air, has its interior in communication by a duct 106, with a space closed u on one side by means of a concave disk 10 and upon its opposite side by The clamped between, the member l107 seated upon an edge of an externally threaded flange 109, and clamped by means ot' a cap 110 coacting with the external threads upon the flange109. A pin 112 is shown as contacting with the flexible diaphragm 108. Vents 135 are shown in cap 110.

The pin 112 is'shown as connected to a switch blade actuating member 113, through which the switch blade 114, .pivoted at 115, projects. To make electrical connection with the blade 114, separated contacts 116 are shown, the contacts and the switch blade pivoting bracket 117 being mounted upon a block of insulating material 118, which latter may be carried by bracket members 119,

bracket 126, carried by the block of insulatlng material 118. The s ring 123 is shown as attached to the switch lade 114 by means of a clip 127.' The wires 39'and 41 are con- .phragm 108 to be forced tothe. osition /one of said closuresspaced inwardly fromnected tothe contacts 116 andthe mount-4 ingv 117 for the switch blade as shown.

When water in the -pipe 102 is below the temperature at which 1t is desired`to, keep the same the thermostatic material in shell 104 will have such a volume as to allow the diashown in Fig. 10, through theme ium of the' spring `133. i

As the temperature of the water is raised and the'volume of the thermostatic material expands, the pin 112 will be actuated to open the switch, thereby providing automatic heat regulation. The switch may be covered with a cap 128 mounted upon the. insulating block 118.

With the form" of the device shown in Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, the shell 104 of Fig. 10 is replaced by means of a cylindrical shell 129 mounted in a plug 130, adapted to havel screw threaded engagement with the wall 15 of the water tank. The shell129 which is closed at its end, and is preferably formed of copperor other readily heat conducting material, .is in -communication with a concave disk 13-1, the space within which is closed by means of the' flexible ldia hragm 108 already described. In the orm of the switch shown in Figs. 11 and 12, the brackets 119', 120 are shown as formed integral with a strap 132, which carries the guide 133 for the pin 112', ,which bracket is shown as mounted uponthe extended edge 134 of the concave disk1131.

I claim: c n

1. A hot water tank comprising al cylinder,.a closure for each en d 'of said cylinder,

its end of the cylinder, a disk having a marginal flange fitting into thelatter end of the cylinder lin spaced relation to said closure, an annular collar having a marginal flange fitted over the outside of the last named end of the cylinder, fastening means passin through the wall of'the cylinder and sai flanges, said annular member having an upstanding flange on its'outer margin, a casing telescoping with said last-named flange,

a closure for the remaining end of said cas-v projecting-through the bottom of said tank and secured thereto, means to drain water of condensation from the interior of said casing.

3. A heating element comprisinga casing having a closed end, a flange intermediate of its length adapted to be secured to the wall ofa tank, an outwardly projecting flange at its open end, an annular ring seated upon. said last-named angeand having an upstanding flange upon its inner margin. extending in s acedrelation with the wall of the tank, a lock of insulating material secured to said flange and clamping said annular ring in place, a conduit for draining water of condensation from the annular space between the tank'wall and the upstanding ring.

4. An electric heating element comprising a casing closed at one end, a block of insulating material closing the remaining end of the casing,'resistance elements supported from said -block and extending within the casing, 'switch means ,supported lupon the outer surface of the block comprising a switch lever and switch points connected to various combinations of the resistance elements to provide various degrees of heat.

MANUEL D. DOMINGUEZ. 

